Dallas Cowboys Blog

Pro Bowler Leonard Davis benched, could lose starting job

Leonard Davis has made the Pro Bowl the last three years since joining the Cowboys. Now there’s question about whether he will continue as the team’s starting right guard.

Davis was benched in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to Tennessee in favor of Montrae Holland. He only returned to the game after Holland suffered an eye injury.

“No way can I make excuses for what I did on the field,” Davis said. “There are expectations on me to go out and execute and do a job. I didn’t do it. It was time for somebody else to go out and do the job.”

Jason Jones gave Davis fits in the first quarter and his pressure helped lead to the pressure Tony Romo received. Romo was sacked six times Sunday with five coming in the first half before Davis was subbed.

“It just looked like Leonard struggled inside as a pass protector a couple of times with quick, early pressure and felt like it was time to put Montrae in and see if you could stabilize things,” assistant head coach Jason Garrett said. “And he did. I thought he responded well to the opportunity and when Leonard went back in again he did the same. He responded to the situation. The pass protection got better as the game wore on.”

Garrett would not say whether would continue as the starter or if Holland would take over.

“We’ll just evaluate it and see where it is,” Garrett said. “It’s good to have both guys.”